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Unless you're driving a high-end luxury car or sport-utility that is factory-equipped with the latest in lighting technology, your vehicle can probably benefit from an easy headlight bulb upgrade. Nothing enhances night driving safety more than better vision. Several headlight bulb manufacturers offer replacement bulbs that will significantly improve your vehicle's lights. Best of all, you can do it yourself in about 15 minutes for under $100.

Bulb Installation
Always hold the new bulb from the base. Never touch the glass tube directly with anything, including your bare hands. Oils left on the glass may actually cause the bulb to burst when turned on. If you touch the glass, clean it with an alcohol-based cleaner before turning the bulb on.


Check that the bulbs being installed match the original bulb style. The bulb seat and the connector that plugs into the bulb must be clean. Check the harness for damage; fix any problems you find. If you are installing a higher-wattage bulb, you must check to see if the relay harness is capable of the extra amperage. If not, aftermarket high capacity external relay harnesses are available and easy to install.


Before you work on your vehicle disconnect the negative battery cable and set the parking brakes.

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Photo Guide

The Ford Explorer has this handy flap that lifts up to reveal the backside of the headlights.

Reach in with your hands and pop the harness out of the headlight bucket.

Remove the clip that holds the bulb in the lamp and then remove the bulb from the harness. Be careful not to touch the bulb's glass tube, as you may want to reuse it or keep it as a spare.

Remove the new bulbs from the packaging without touching the glass tube.

Insert the new bulb into the harness. Make sure you insert the bulb all the way into the bulb seat and reinstall the clip. Push the harness back into the back of the headlight and then reconnect your battery cable.

Before: The original equipment headlight bulbs have a bit of a yellowish tone. They're nothing to write home about.

After: While it's not all that easy to tell the difference in a photo, the new bulbs definitely shine bright white. High beams reach significantly farther down the road for an extra measure of safety.


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Bulb and Lamp Replacement
New Twist on Taillamp Replacement
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Isolating and replacing problematic relays
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